Garment-supporter.



J.H.BRYANT.I

GARMENT SUPPORTEB.

APPLICATION FILED 1.13.14, 1909v 927,323. Patented July 6, 1909.

clmm a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HENRY BRYANT, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

GARMENT-SUPPOBTER.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. BRYANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Garment-Supporter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to the fastening or connecting; a belt or suspenders to the button of the garment to be supported, the object of the present invention being to provide an improved device of this kind which will engage the head of the button directly, andnot the shank thereof, and also to provide means for locking the button, so that it will be securely held until unlocked.

WVith the foregoing objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the drawing hereto annexed, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the application of the invention: Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fastening device, detached: Fig.

3 is a longitudinal section of the device, con

nected to the button: Fig. 4 is an edge View, illustrating the manner in which the device is opened to receive or release the button: Fig. 5 1s a perspective view of a modification: Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another modification; and Fig. 7 is a sectional detail, showing the application thereof.

In the drawings the invention is shown applied to a trousers belt 10, but it is to be understood that it may be used in connection with suspenders or other forms of garment supporters.

The invention comprises a pair of jaws, the members of which are indicated at 1.1 and 12, respectively. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the jaws are made of a single piece of suitable sheet metal, which is bent upon itself to form spring jaws, the bight 13 connecting the same, forming a hinge on which the jaws swing.

In. the modified form of fastening shown in Fig. 5, the jaws are connected by an ordinary hinge joint 14. The jaw 11 is formed with an opening 15 to receive the button. 16 of the waistband of the trousers or other part. The button is shown as attached by a ring 17, passing through an eye on the button, but it may be sewed on or otherwise attached to the garment to be supported. One end of the opening 15 is of a width sufficient to re- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 14, 1909.

Patented July 6, 1909.

Serial No. 472,269.

ceive the button, and to permit the same being placed between the jaws. The other end of the opening is contracted or reduced in width, so that when the jaws are closed, the back of the button will be engaged by the jaw 11, and the face by the aw 12, and the button will be tightly gripped between said jaws. It will be noted that the jaws engage the button directly, and not the shank or attaching means thereof, by reason of which the fastening device is more securely attached, and less liable to become detached, and the button will hold longer. The contracted end of the opening is adjacent to the hinge of the jaws. The jaws are held locked by means of a stud. 18, carried by the jaw 12, near its free end, and provided with a head 19, which is received in an opening 20, made in the jaw 11., near its free end. This headed stud is disengaged when the device is being attached to the button, and alter the latter is in place between the jaws, the .head of the stud is snapped into the opening, whereupon the button is securely locked. between the jaws. To unlock the jaws, I provide a link 21, which is rotatably mounted in a knuckle 22, formed at the free end of the jaw 11. The link has a loop extension 23, which works between the jaws, and, upon rotating the link and the knuckle, the extension 22 engages the jaw 12, and thus acts as a lever and pries the jaws open. The link also serves as a means for connecting the device to the belt 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The unlocking device, shown in Fig. 5, comprises a link 24, having, adjacent to its ends, laterally projecting arms 25, connected, intermediate their ends, by a cross-bar 26, by means of which the link is connected to the knuckle 22 of the jaw 11. The operation is the same as the unlocking device already described, the free ends of the arms 25 en gaging the jaw 12 when the link is swung, and thereby prying the jaws apart.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a fastening device which will be securely connected to the button, and. the greater the tension 011 the button, the tighter will the button be gripped. between the jaws. It will also be seen that the button is concealed, in view of which the appearance of the garment and. the supporter is not marred.

Where the buttons are on the inside of the waist-band, the fastening device shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is employed. The only difference between this device and the one heretofore described is that I provide the jaw 11, at one of its side edges, with an extension or projecting tongue 27, to which the link 21 or 24 is connected. In use the jaws are en gaged with the button on the inside of the waist-band, and the extension 27 projects over the edge of the waist-band to the outside thereof, so that the connection with the belt 10, which is on the outside of the waistband, may be made. The manner of opening the jaws remains the same as before, except that the waist-band will lie between the lever and the jaw 11. The pressure of the lever on the waist-band being transmitted to the jaw 12, whereupon the stud is disengaged from the openings, and the jaws are opened.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure, by Letters Patent, is z- 1. A fastening for garment supporters comprising a pair of jaws having means for attachment to the garment, means connecting the jaws to the garment supporter, means for locking the jaws and means carried by said connecting means for unlocking the jaws.

2. A fastening for garment supporters comprising a pair of jaws, one of which is provided with an opening and garment-attaching means, a stud carried by the other jaw and receivable in the opening, means for connecting the jaws to a garment supporter, and means carried by said connecting means for unlocking the jaws.

3. A fastening for garment supporters comprising a pair of jaws, one of which is provided with an opening and garment-attaching means, a stud. carried by the other jaw and receivable in the opening, a lever pivoted to one of the jaws, and engageable with the other jaw for opening the jaws, and means for connecting the jaws to a garment supporter.

i. A fastening comprising a pair of jaws, one of which is provided with an opening and button-holding means, a stud carried by the other jaw, and engageable with the opening, means for locking the aws and means carried by one of the jaws for unlocking the same.

5. A fastening device comprising a pair of jaws, means for connecting said jaws to a garment, means for locking the jaws, a link pivoted to one of the jaws, and having an extension projecting between the jaws, for prying them open.

6. A fastening for garment supporters comprising a pair of aws having means for attachment to the inside of a garment, an extension on one of said aws projecting over the edge of the garment to the outside thereof, and means on the extension connecting the jaw to the garment supporter.

7. A fastening for garment supporters comprising a pair of jaws having means for attachment to the inside of a garment, an extension on one of the jaws projecting over the edge of the garment to the outside thereof, means on the extension connecting the jaws to the garment-supporter, and means carried by said connecting means for unlocking the jaws.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HENRY BRYANT.

Witnesses FRED. C. MARX, NELSON G. GOREAN. 

